The Fifth Tine – Page 124 – food for eating good

Baked Ricotta and Goat Cheese with Candied Tomatoes

June 11, 2013October 15, 2017 yholmes 2 Comments

On a recent trip to Italy I visited a beautiful village in Greve in Chianti named Panzano. This small town with 12 restaurants is a picturesque postcard of Tuscany.

The best restaurant in town, in my American opinion that may not matter too much, is the family owned Cantinetta Sassolini. Apparently all of the locals agree with my #1 rating because it was packed each night I dined. On my first visit for dinner, I ordered a starter of baked cheese with a fava bean sauce. The ricotta & goat cheese was slightly caramelized on the top with that lovely chewy dark cheese flavor. I knew I had to recreate this and found this recipe on Food52.com. The sweet candied tomatoes over the savory cheese are ridiculously good.

More inspiration to come from this lovely restaurant at the top of the hill on the way to the church (after the butcher shop).

INGREDIENTS

For the baked cheese:

15 ounces whole milk ricotta
4 ounces log goat cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh marjoram leaves, or leafy herb of your choice
generous grinding of black pepper
generous sprinkling of kosher salt

For the candied tomatoes:

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 ounces cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup vermouth
1/4 cup light brown sugar
3 sprigs marjoram, or leafy herb of your choice
sea salt

DIRECTIONS

For the baked cheese: Place the ricotta in a colander lined with cheese cloth and leave to drain for about 30 minutes, pressing down to help extract liquid.
Preheat the oven 375 degrees. Brush the inside of a 2 cup baking dish with olive oil.
In the small bowl of a stand mixer, beat the ricotta, goat cheese and egg until smooth. Beat in the herbs (chopped if the leaves are large), a generous amount of pepper and salt. Taste your goat cheese first, saltier cheeses require less additional salt.
Spoon the cheese mixture into the prepared baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until puffed in the center and browning.
Let the cheese cool slightly, then invert it out onto a plate.
For the tomatoes: While the cheese is baking, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then drop in the tomatoes. Cook, stirring frequently, until the skins on the tomatoes start to split. Pull the pan off the flame, add the vermouth and return to the heat. Add the brown sugar and herbs and stir until the sugar is melted. Add a generous pinch of salt. Lower the heat and cook gently until the liquid is reduced to a syrupy coating for the tomatoes. The tomatoes will collapse and some may disintegrate. That’s fine.
When ready to serve, spoon the candied tomatoes over the warm baked cheese and serve with sliced baguette or crostini.
The baked cheese can be prepared a few hours in advance and then baked before serving. It is best served warm, but not necessarily right out of the oven. The tomatoes can be prepared ahead too and gently reheated before serving.

Moroccan Chicken Thighs

January 27, 2013October 15, 2017 yholmes 2 Comments

I’ve been making this dish for several years and I never get tired of it. The combination of the sweet sauce, warm spices and salty olives is addictive. It’s fast to make and leftovers are just as good the next day. If you don’t devour it all… which I usually do.

INGREDIENTS

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed and cut to bite size pieces
½ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup quartered dried apricots figs (about 2 ounces)
¼ cup chopped green olives
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 tablespoons dry Marsala or Madeira
1 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

DIRECTIONS

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently. Stir in remaining ingredients.

Reduce heat to medium and cook for about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. To finish sprinkle with a little more cilantro.

Serve over a bed of couscous.

Serves 4.

Sweet Potato Galettes

December 31, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

Another Ottolenghi masterpiece. I’m continually amazed at his combinations of flavor & texture. Bonus – it looks impressive and is super easy!

INGREDIENTS

2 medium sweet potatoes
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons crème fraîche (can substitute sour cream)
3 1/3 ounces goats cheese
2 tbsp pumpkin seeds
1 medium hot chili, sliced thinly in rings
2 tbsp olive oil
1 crushed garlic clove
2 tsp chopped parsley

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake the sweet potatoes in their skins for 35-45 minutes. When they are cool enough to handle, peel and cut into thin slices. Or you can microwave for about 5 minutes-8 minutes and save some time!
Roll out the puff pastry slightly and cut into 4 equal rectangles and prick them all over with a fork. Put the rectangles on a baking sheet lined with baking parchment or greaseproof paper and leave to rest in the fridge for half an hour.
Take them out and brush with the beaten egg. Spread a tablespoon layer of soured cream on the pastries, leaving a 5mm border around the edge.
Arrange the potato slices on the pastry on top of the cream.
Crumble on the goats cheese, sprinkle on the seeds and chilli and season with salt and pepper.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the underneath is golden brown.
While they are cooking, mix the olive oil, garlic, parsley and a pinch of salt. Brush this over the galettes when they come out of the oven. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Serves 4.

Balsamic Glazed Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Blue Cheese

December 12, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes 1 Comment

Our Thanksgiving Feast included these crunchy, salty & sweet morsels. There wasn’t much leftover, but what wasn’t gobbled up for lunch my sister and I polished off the next morning for breakfast. Cold.

They are that good.

Make them for Christmas or heck for go crazy and make them for breakfast with some scrambled eggs.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 pound pancetta, cut into small cubes (or bacon)
3 pounds Brussels sprouts, quartered
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons firmly-packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup to 1 cup of blue cheese, crumbled

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Cook the pancetta until crisp in a large skillet. Remove using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup drippings in the skillet.

Combine the Brussels sprouts, olive oil and salt in a large bowl. Place the sprouts on the prepared baking sheet and bake until tender, about 20 minutes.

Add the vinegar, brown sugar and mustard to the reserved bacon drippings in the skillet. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the mixture is reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Pour the mixture over the sprouts, tossing gently to coat. Sprinkle with the bacon & blue cheese Serve immediately.

Serves 10.

Asparagus with Bacon, Shallots and Pine Nuts

December 4, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

What a great side dish for the holidays. Fast, delicious and so addictive. Use bacon, use pancetta, use a different nut. Drizzle with a little meyer lemon olive oil if you have it on hand. You can’t mess this one up.

INGREDIENTS

4 ounces bacon or pancetta, cut into 3/8 inch to 1/4 inch dice
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound asparagus, woody ends trimmed and sliced into 2 inch pieces on the bias
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
Zest of one lemon
1 teaspoon orange zest
2 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

In a large non-stick pan, sauté bacon or pancetta, stirring frequently, over medium heat, until crisp and lightly golden.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to pan. Add asparagus pieces and shallot and sauté until asparagus is tender crisp, about 3-4 minutes.

Add garlic, lemon and orange zest and toasted pine nuts and sauté for about 1 minute, until fragrant. Season to taste with freshly ground pepper and salt and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Healthy & Hearty Spaghetti with Meatballs

September 24, 2012March 8, 2023 yholmes 1 Comment

I’ve been working a lot and traveling a lot the past few months, I tried the keto diet, look here the info https://reportshealthcare.com/20070/keto-pure-diet/. Meaning I’ve been eating a lot of fabulous foods and treating myself to things I would typically pass up at home. Pastries. Potatoes. Pasta. Time to get back to the healthy meals. Luckily, this meal feels like a treat.

I admit, I was skeptical these meatballs from the yummy Rocco Dispirito would actually be satisfying. Considering he reduced the calories from 1200 to 350, the meatballs are surprisingly moist and tender, full of flavor and the tomato sauce is rich and hearty. I’m sure the original version of his Mama’s Meatballs are delicious… but I’ll take these and feel less guilty about dessert.

The weirdest ingredient in this recipe is the puffed kamut. It’s a brilliant replacement for breadcrumbs… and I’m thinking it could make a cool replacement in rice krispy treats… but I’ll tackle that later. You can find it at Whole Foods, Sprouts or most any health food store. I prefer to blitz it in food processor into coarse crumbs for this recipe.

If you really want to take this to the ultimate in healthy meals… skip the pasta and substitute spaghetti squash, one of my favorites. Eating the healthy you can is one of the most important things to do when you are trying to loose weight, you can also use some supplements that that will strength your healthy eating, you con search for some alpine ice hack, it is important to be aware of the product’s ingredients and usage direction to ensure the best results.

Healthy & Hearty Spaghetti with Meatballs

Print Recipe

INGREDIENTS

olive oil
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/2 cup yellow onion, diced small
dried red chili flakes
1 cup reduced sodium chicken stock
28 ounce can Cento tomato puree
1 tsp fresh oregano
5-6 leaves fresh basil, chopped
1/2 medium eggplant (halved lengthwise)
salt & pepper
6 ozs ground turkey breast
4 ozs lean ground beef (93/7)
2 ozs lean ground pork
1 egg white
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped
1/2 oz parmigiano-reggiano, grated
2 cups puffed kamut cereal (Arrowhead brand)
6 ozs spaghetti (kamut or brown rice)

DIRECTIONS

Make the sauce: In a large saucepan heat olive oil. Add half the garlic and half the onion and a pinch of red chili flakes and cook over medium heat until tender, about 2 minutes. Add half the chicken stock, tomato puree, diced tomatoes & herbs. Simmer over low heat for an hour.

Make the eggplant puree: Preheat the broiler. Meanwhile, using the tip of a knife, score the eggplant deeply and sprinkle with salt. Place the eggplant cut-side up and cook under the broiler until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the broiler and place on a plate and microwave on high until tender, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, add the meats and mix gently to incorporate. Place the egg white, ¼ cup chicken stock, ¼ cup onion, 1 clove garlic and parsley in a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the mixture to the bowl with the meats, add the cheese and crumble the kamut in with your fingers. Sprinkle with salt and chili flakes.

Scoop the eggplant pulp out of its skin and let any excess water drip off. Measure out 1/2 cup of the pulp, and then lightly chop and add to the meat mixture, folding in to incorporate. Make each meatball a heaping tablespoon and form into balls with your hands. Should make around 16 meatballs.

Heat a few teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, add half of the meatballs and cook until lightly browned on one side, about 1 minute. Roll the meatballs on the other side and brown evenly, about 2 minutes. Remove the browned meatballs from the pan and add more olive oil if needed. Repeat the browning with the rest of the meatballs. Add the meatballs to the sauce and simmer very slowly for an hour.

Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts of water to a simmer and then add 1 tablespoon of salt. Drop the pasta in the water and cook per manufacturer’s instructions. Place 4 meatballs each on 4 plates, and then add the spaghetti to the remaining sauce in the pan with 1/2 cup of the pasta water and cook until the sauce holds well on the pasta. Evenly distribute the pasta to each of the 4 plates.

Heirloom Tomato Panzanella

June 28, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

I’m not sure there is a better summer salad than this gorgeous and light panzanella. You can use any tomato and you can even Sandra Lee it up and use croutons from the store. I had a loaf of cheddar & garlic bread to use… but my friends ate most of the croutons before I assembled the salad. So I mixed in the store bought ones. Just as good.

INGREDIENTS

3 large heirloom tomatoes, chopped into 1/4- to 1/2-inch cubes
1 English cucumber, chopped into 1/4-inch cubes
1/4 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
Sea salt
Coarsely ground black pepper
8 basil leaves, chopped roughly
3 cups of baby herb salad blend or arugula
Croutons, recipe follows (or use store bought)
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

Croutons

1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 cups crustless cubed day-old bread (1/2-inch cubes)
Sea salt, preferably gray salt, and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan

DIRECTIONS

For the croutons: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and preheat a cookie sheet in it.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and cook until it foams. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Add the bread cubes and toss to coat with the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the bread to a baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with the cheese and toss again while warm to melt the cheese.

Bake, stirring once or twice, until the croutons are crisp and lightly colored on the outside but still soft within, about 8 or 9 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container.

For the salad: Lightly salt the tomatoes & cucumbers and drain in a sieve to remove excess liquid while you prepare the croutons & dressing (or let sit 15 minutes).

For the dressing, whisk together vinegars, salt, pepper, garlic & olive oil. Set aside.

In a bowl combine the tomatoes, arugula, onion, basil, salt, and pepper and dressing. Add the croutons and toss well. Top with crumbled feta cheese.

Serve immediately.

Turkey & Sweetcorn Meatballs with Roasted Pepper Sauce

May 18, 2012November 10, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

Now you see them, now you don’t…

These meatballs are really satisfying and disappear pretty quickly! I have used ground turkey & chicken and both are equally delicious. Don’t skip the sauce… it is a must. Serve warm or at room temperature (or eat them cold out of the fridge like me).

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:

1/2 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
3 slices of stale white bread, crusts removed
1lb ground turkey or chicken
1 egg
4 green onions, finely chopped
1 tbsp chopped parsley
2 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
canola or sunflower oil

For the sauce:

4 red bell peppers
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove
1 small Fresno chili, deseeded
2 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400F. To prepare the peppers for the sauce, quarter them with a sharp knife and shave off the white parts and the seeds. Put them in a roasting tray and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and ½ teaspoon of the salt, then roast in the oven for 35 minutes or until soft. Transfer the hot peppers to a bowl and cover it with plastic wrap. Once they have cooled down a little, you can peel them, although it isn’t essential for this sauce. In any case, place them in a blender or food processor with their roasting juices and add the rest of the sauce ingredients. Process until smooth, then taste and adjust the salt if necessary. Set aside.
For the meatballs, place a heavy non-stick frying pan over a high heat and throw in the corn kernels. Toss them in the hot pan for 2-3 minutes, until lightly blackened. Remove and leave to cool.
Soak the bread in cold water for a minute, then squeeze well and crumble it into a large bowl. Add all the rest of the ingredients except the oil and mix well with your hands.
Pour a shallow depth of sunflower or canola oil into your heavy frying pan. Allow it to heat up well and then fry about a teaspoon of the mince mix in it. Remove, let cool a little and then taste. Adjust the amount of salt and pepper in the uncooked mixture to your liking.
With wet hands, shape the mince mix into balls, about the size of golf balls. Brown them in small batches in the hot oil, turning them around in the pan until they are golden brown all over. Transfer to an oven tray, place in the oven at 400F and bake for about 5 minutes. When you press one with your finger, the meat should bounce back. If unsure, break one open to check that it is cooked inside. Serve hot or warm, with the pepper sauce on the side.

Chargrilled Broccoli with Chili & Garlic

May 6, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

Another Ottolenghi win… simple ingredients and delicious leftover!

INGREDIENTS

2 heads of broccoli
1/2 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 mild red chilies (Fresno), thinly sliced
coarse sea salt
black pepper
lemon slices (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Separate the broccoli into florets and blanch in boiling water for 2 minutes – don’t be tempted to cook longer! Remove immediately to a bowl of ice water, then drain and leave to dry completely.

Once the broccoli is dry, toss with 1/2 cup of the olive oil and a generous amount of salt and pepper. Place a grill pan on high heat and leave for 5 minutes until smoking hot (or grill on your outdoor grill). Grill the broccoli in batches on the hot pan, turning to get lovely char marks on all sides.

While the broccoli is cooking, place the remaining oil in a small saucepan together with the garlic and chilies and cook on a medium heat until the garlic begins to turn golden brown. Be careful not to let the garlic and chilli burn – they will continue cooking in the hot oil even when off heat.

Pour the garlic and chili oil over the hot broccoli and toss well. Season to taste and toss in lemon wedges. Serve immediately or at room temperature.

Chargrilled Cauliflower with Tomato, Dill & Capers

April 19, 2012October 15, 2017 yholmes Leave a comment

On my most recent trip to London I came across a foodies paradise – Ottolenghi. When I walked in the front door my eye didn’t know where to look first! Beautiful floating layers of salads, whole grains, breads and OH MY desserts had my mouth watering. This cauliflower salad is a perfect example of why Ottoleghi is so successful – he brings bright and satisfying flavors to the simplest of vegetables.

I can’t get my nose out of his cookbook so expect lots more from Ottolenghi on The Fifth Tine.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons capers, drained and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon French whole grain mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
1 large head of cauliflower (about 2 pounds)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
A good handful of arugula
1 tablespoon dill, chopped
sea salt
pepper

DIRECTIONS

You can make the dressing in a food processor or by hand (we used the processor). Mix together the capers, mustard, garlic, vinegar and some salt and pepper. Whisk vigorously or run the machine while adding half the oil in a slow trickle. You should get a thick, creamy dressing. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Add the cauliflower to a large pan of boiling salted water and simmer for just 3 minutes. Drain and run under a cold tap to stop it cooking further. Leave in the colander to dry well, then put it in a mixing bowl with the rest of the olive oil and some seasoning. Toss well.

Heat a ridged griddle pan over the highest possible heat and leave it for 5 minutes or until it is really hot. Grill the cauliflower in batches – don’t over-crowd the pan. Keep turning until they are nicely charred all over and transfer to a bowl. While the cauliflower is still hot, add the dressing, dill, spinach and tomatoes. Stir together, taste and adjust seasoning again.

Serve warm or at room temperature.